A warm welcome, upscale pub grub and craft drink in downtown Delray Beach’s Park Tavern
The Park Tavern by night
Park Tavern. An apt name if ever there was one.
Despite its SE Second Avenue address, Park Tavern can be found behind tiny Worthing Park on Atlantic Avenue in the heart of downtown Delray. And, it, indeed has all the fixings of a neighborhood tavern: simply prepared, tasty food and good drink.
Park Tavern has a rustic air, decorated inside simply with red brick, reclaimed pine planks, dark-brown-stained wood tables, and hanging incandescent lights. On a warm night there’s plentiful outdoor seating abutting the park, perfect for watching the nightly parade of diners and revelers on Atlantic Avenue. It’s one of several eateries owned by the Modern Restaurant Group, whose other places include El Camino Mexican restaurants in Delray Beach and Fort Lauderdale and the Cut 432 steakhouse in Delray Beach.
Frenched chicken breast
Park Tavern’s food menu is but one page, but the beer, wine and spirits list goes for pages. Opened in 2012, the restaurant describes itself as is a neighborhood restaurant focused on locally sourced farm fresh ingredients, scratch kitchen, craft beers, seasonal cocktails and small production wines. The menu of upscale pub grub s a nod to the gastropub movement and it would be easy to be satisfied by the pub-food appetizers, raw bar, the large array of burgers (they’re a $5 special on Mondays) and salads. But, there are terrific entrees, too, among them roasted chicken, tasty and simple, and for those hankering for something beefy, there’s a hefty slice of prime rib served to order (medium was perfectly rosy, but a bit tough).
Swordfish special
A special one night of grilled sword fish, topped with thinly sliced, hot red peppers plated atop a creamy curry sauce and plated with a side of white rice, was a delightfully delicious surprise touted by our server, Richard. But for $26 one might expect a bit more than a 2×1-inch slab of fish and more than an ice cream scoop of rice.
The alcoholic beverage choices can overwhelm, but they are the primary reason I’d want to make a return visit. There are nine carefully chosen local and not-so-local craft beers on tap and more in bottles. I opted for wine, a mineral, fruity 2015 Mönchhof Estate Mosel Riesling (bottles are half price on Wednesdays), during my visit, but could just have easily quaffed a Petite Sour Peach ale from Denver’s Crooked Stave Brewery. There are 50 wines available by the glass, cocktails, and countless craft spirits, bourbons and Scotch whiskeys.
Richard, our server, was super friendly and accommodating, allowing a diner in my party to substitute both the sauces and side with her chicken entree. For dessert, he recommended the double fudge chocolate cake, made at the nearby Two Fat Cookies Bakery. The gigantic, rich chocolatey slab easily could satisfy four! It wowed.
On the whole, Park Tavern is the kind of place you could return to often. I plan to.
Park Tavern
32 SE Second Ave., Delray Beach
561-265-5093
